Plymouth Dems in need of mayoral candidate before Monday

PLYMOUTH - The Democratic Town Committee is still seeking someone to run for mayor on its ticket this year.

Chairman Paul Gianesini said his town committee has until the end of the business day Monday, Sept. 11, to come up with a name, as the lottery drawing to determine the order of names on the November ballot will take place Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Town Hall.

Republican incumbent David Merchant is running for his third term as mayor, and is facing a challenge from petitioning candidate Pattie DeHuff, a fellow Republican. Meanwhile, Gianesini put his name in to hold the spot open for the Democrats for the time being.

The Democrats put an ad in current edition of The Plymouth Connection naming their slate of candidates and saying, “We are still searching for a qualified Plymouth resident to step up and run for mayor. If this may be you contact plymouthdtc@gmail.com.”

Gianesini said he is still hopeful although time is running out.

He has previously said the current political climate nationally means many people are turned off by politics but the town committee was able to find candidates for many other town offices. However, this year the Democrats are also lacking candidates for tax collector, town clerk, town treasurer and Board of Assessment Appeals.

Gianesini said he is hoping “someone with business management experience and fiscal responsibility, someone that can deal with union negations and be able to manage town meetings and stick to the town charter” will step forward for the mayoral slot.

“Running for mayor is a big commitment. It’s not a career job, so what do you do in two years if you get voted out? You’re not going to be able to do it if you have a young family to provide for. It’s mostly retired people,” he has said, citing Merchant and former mayors Vincent Festa and Richard Covello.

Two years ago the Democrats didn’t run anyone against Merchant and “we didn’t want to let that happen again,” he added.

Susan Corica can be reached at 860-973-1802 or scorica@bristolpress.com.